Bracelet.



F. FEID.

BRACELET.

APPLICATION rum) NOV. 11. 1910.

Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANcIs FEID, or HHNTHAM, MAssAoHusE'r'rs, Assrornon 0F ONE-HALF TO con- NELIUS E. HALE, or NORTH ATTLEIBORO, MASSACHUSETTS.

BRACELET.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS Finn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wrentham, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Bracelets, of which.

the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to bracelets in which means are provided for holding the ends thereof in sliding engagement to permit the bracelet to be enlarged or contracted without separating the ends.

I-Ieretofore, it has been customary to mount two straps loosely on the bracelet and then soft solder one to each end of the same. This permitted the bracelet to be expanded and contracted at will as each strap was movable on the bracelet although secured to one end thereof. It has been found in practice, however, that soft soldering was unsatisfactory. When used on jewelry it was unsightly and marred the appearance and finish of the article. Furthermore, as only soft solder could be employed for this purpose, the straps after a short period of use, and especially if subjected to any unusual strain, broke away from the ends of bracelet.

The main object of this invention is to do away with the use of soft solder and at the same time secure a strap which is more efficient and permanent.

Another object is to attain economy in construction.

Additional objects will be more specifically pointed out and explained hereinafter.

The following is a description of the preferred form of the invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bracelet constructed in accordance with the pres ent invention. Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view on line 2-2 in Fig. 1 of a strap and a portion of the bracelet; Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of a strap detached and having one side broken away to show the interior construction. Fig. 4 is a View in perspective of one end of the bracelet showing the recess by means of which the strap is locked on the end of the bracelet.

In the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention, 3 rep- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 11, 1910.

Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

Serial No. 591,783.

resents a bracelet band having end-portions 4 and 5 to which are attached respectively straps 6 and 7 of like construction. Each strap comprises a flat loop having one end provided with a slot 8 of sufficient size to permit the bracelet band 3 to slide through. The strap is preferably made by stamping it out with a suitable die after which the slot 8 is cut in the top. As shown in Fig. 2 the slot 8 is located adjacent to one side of the strap in such a manner that when it is mounted on the bracelet band 3, the latter hugs one side of the strap. This leaves a space within the strap to receive the end of the bracelet band 3, since the end of the strap opposite the end having the slot 8 is left open to its full width by the die in the stamping process. According to the old method the end 4 at this stage was soldered within the strap 6 which completed the operation.- I do away with the necessity of soft soldering the end 1 within the strap 6 by securing a strip 10 on the inside of the strap as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. This strip 10 may be secured in place in any suitable manner. I prefer, however, the following method. A sheet of brass or other suitable material is covered on one side with a very thin coating of hard solder and is then cut up into pieces of suitable size to form the strips. A strip is placed in proper position within the strap, the coated side in contact with the inside of the strap and heat is applied thereby soldering the strip in place. There is no objection to the use of hard solder at this stage of the process of manufacture but hard solder cannot be used when the straps are being secured to the ends of the bracelet. After the strap has been prepared a transverse recess 11 is out in the end of the bracelet, the recess being of a size sufficient to receive the strip 10.

To mount the straps in position on the bracelet, they are first placed loosely on the band 3, each with the slot 8 toward its respective end of the bracelet. One of the straps is then adjusted on the end of the bracelet in such a manner that the recess 11 receives the strip 10 whereupon the other end of the bracelet is passed through the strap and out of the slot 8 as illustrated in Fig. 2. So long as the band 3 of the brace let remains in the strap the end 4: is locked in position and cannot be withdrawn. It

will be apparent that the first strap can be easily adjusted because the end is placed in position within the strap before the other end of the bracelet is passed through the strap. The second strap, however, must be forced over the other end of the bracelet and then compressed to lock it in place.

My invention may be embodied in constructions other than those hereinbefore described, without departing from the nature and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

WVhat I claim is 1. A bracelet comprising a band having overlapped ends, and a connector for the overlapped portions of the bracelet, comprising a single loop of a size to snugly embrace the overlapped portions of the bracelet, the adjacent portion of said loop and one end of the bracelet being provided one with a recess and the other with a rigid projection normally held within said recess by the other end of said bracelet to lock said loop to the end of the bracelet and prevent disengagement thereof.

2. A bracelet comprising a band having overlapped ends, one end of said bracelet being provided with a recess therein, a connector for the overlapped portions of the bracelet, comprising a single loop of a size to snugly embrace the overlapped portions of the bracelet, said loop being provided on its interior with a projection rigid therewith fitting within the recess in one end of the bracelet and normally held therein by the other end of said bracelet.

3. A bracelet comprising a band having overlapped ends, and a connector for the overlapping portions of the bracelet comprising a loop provided with a single opening of a size to snugly embrace the overlapped portions of the bracelet, said loop and the adjacent portion of one end of the bracelet being provided with interfitting portions normally held in engagement by the other end of the bracelet.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses, this the eighteenth day of October, 1910.

FRANCIS FEID. WVitnesses HENRY R. REYNOLDS, ARMOND H. DYON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. O. 

